4 major observations from Sam Darnold’s catastrophe at the Giants

Time is running out for Sam Darnold

After just seven games under center for the Carolina Panthers, Sam Darnold is officially on the hot seat. Something not many saw coming after the first three weeks of the season.

Without Christian McCaffrey, Darnold has gone back to his old self and the evidence suggests he’s simply not the long-term answer for the Panthers.

The protection has received some justified criticism this season. But they managed to hold up pretty well and Darnold was still unable to make the most of additional time in the pocket.

If the first read isn’t there, Darnold goes to pieces.

And that’s been the story throughout his career.

Whatever it is the Panthers thought they saw in Darnold, it’s just not there. And there didn’t appear to be a great deal of fight from the former USC star or the players around him.

Once a quarterback loses this confidence, it’s incredibly hard to get back.

Darnold didn’t ask to be here. Carolina’s primary decision-makers also need to be held accountable for seeing something in the player that obviously is nowhere to be found.

If the last month was a test of Darnold’s character and resolve, we’ve also found out plenty about that, too. He’ll get another chance at redemption at the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8 – although the speculation linking the Panthers with a trade for Deshaun Watson will undoubtedly grow as a result of this inept performance.

There’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding Watson and his status. But desperate teams do desperate things and David Tepper is known for being pretty impulsive.

He reportedly got talked out of drafting Justin Fields by Matt Rhule, so the benefit of the doubt is no longer there.

This was a crossroads game for Darnold. And he failed to cut the mustard.

Now, he must live with any upcoming consequences.